Latch for headlights



Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,392.

' H. c. FOSTER.

LATCH FOR HEAD-LIGHTS.

FILED JUNE13, 1921.

glwuentoz attoznm p Patented Feh. is, was. 'ldi ihfitf HARRY C. FOSTER,F CQNNERQVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO INDIANA LAMP COMPANY, OFCOIINEESVILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION.

LATCH F01?) HEADLIGHTS.

I Application filed June 13, 1921. Serial No. 477,153.

To all whom it may concern. rim 13. The rim mounted .on the lamp Be itknown that I, HARRY C. FOSTER, a casing in the usual manner, b l i it. icitizen of the United States, and a resident position so that said pinsare opposite the of Connersville, county of Fayette, and depressedportions 16, whereby the rim may 5 filtate of Indiana,have invented acertain he iorcedover the flange 12, abuttingthe new and useful Latchfor Headlights; andT head 11, after which th i i z d do hereby declarethat the following is a slightly so that the pins 17 move to the endfull, clear, and exact description thereof, of the passageways 15opposite the ClGlJlesreference being had to the accompanying sion 16.This manner of mounting the rim 10 drawings, in which like numeralsrefer to is old and well known in the art.

like parts. For locking the pin 17 in the slot 15, there This inventionrelates to a lamp construe is a latch 18 which is pivoted between itstion, and particularly to the type of lamps ends to the flange 12 by therivet 19, and employed asheadlights for vehicles, wherein provided witha beariiu); plate 20 extending 15 the lamp closure or'lens rim isdetachable inwardly therefromthrough the slot 21 for from the casing.relieving the rivet 19- irom undue strain The main feature or" theinvention relates placed on the latch. The latching end is to thelocking means for positively securing provided with the pin engagingnotch 22, the lamp closure or lens rim to the casing by and the oppositeend is provided with a pro- 20 yielding 'means, whereby it may beremoved jection 23adapted to extend into the yield by imparting theretothe usual rotating ing spiral spring 2 1-. This end ofthe latchmovement. This is accomplished by means has a laterally bent tail whichengages oi a spring-pressed latch normally held in the opposite or innersurface of the flange 12, locking position under spring tension, theextending through an opening 26 therein 25 rim being removed byovercoming said for guiding the latch in itsinoveinent. The

spring tension, causing the release of the spring is seated on asuitable projection'in l t h, i the opening 26 of the flange 12,andenerts a The full nature of the invention will be normal outwardpressure against the latch understood fromthe accompanying orawso toexert an inward pressure on the 30 ings and the following descriptionand latching end, wherebythe pin 17 can only he l i released from saidlatch when the spring is 8 In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevationcompressed. This latch prevents the free of a lamp casing with a portionof the rim rotary movement or". the rim so that vibrabroken away. Fig. 2is a front elevation of tion of the lamp will not cause the rim to 3 aportion of the lamp with a part of the rim turn until. the pin passesthrough the depresremoved. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a porsion 16,allowing it to fall from the casing. tion of the casing with the rimremoved, In the modified form shown in Figs. 3 and showing a modifiedform. Fig. 1- is a front 4, the latch 118 is provided with the notchelevation of a portion of the modified form. 122 in which the rim pin117 is adapted to 40 In the drawings there is shown the usual seat. Thelatch is pivotec. to the flange at lamp casing 10 having an annular bead11 119 and is then bent inwardly extending from which the annular flange12 projects. through the slot 126 in said flange, so that The lampclosure or lens rim 13 is adapted the tail 125 extends adjacent theinside of to fit snugly over the flange 12 in the usual the flange 12.the projection 123 seating in 45 manner, the lens 14 being mounted insaid the spring 124-. Said spring is supported on rim. a plate 121secured to said flange and extends The flange 12 isprovided with aperipheral laterally therefrom. The functioning and passageway 15, therebeing about three or principle of the latch disclosed in the modifoursuch passageways spaced around the lied forms is substantially the sameas that 50 periphery. The forward edge of the flange above described.

is deoressed 16 to provide an opening to The invention claimed is: saidpassageways through which the pins 1'? 1. A lamp construction, incombination ma pass. said pins 17 extending inwardly with a casingmember, and a. closu're memand radially from the lamp closure or lensher for said casing, of means for securing said closure member thereon,including a pin on one of said members, a lever fulcrumed substantiallymidway between its ends to the other member, said lever being providedwith a notch in one end thereof adapted to engage and hold said acompression spring mounted between the opposite end of said lever andthe member upon which it is mounted for normally maintaining the notchedend thereof in engagement with said pin, whereby said pin maybe movedout of engagement with said lever upon the compression of said spring.

2, A lamp construction, in combination with a casing member, and aclosure member for said casing, of means for securing said closuremember thereon, including a.

passageway in one of said members, a pin on the other member adapted toextend into said passageway, a substantially straight lever'fulcrumedbetween its ends to the passageway bearing member having one end thereofin position to engage said pin, and yielding means mounted at the otherend of said lever on the opposite side of said fulcrum from the engagingend thereof for yieldingly maintaining it in engagement with'said pin.

3. A lamp construction, in combination with a casing member, and aclosure, memher for said casing, of means for securing said closuremember thereon, including a passageway in one of said members, a pin onthe other member adapted to extend into said passageway, a leverfulcrumed to the passageway bearing member having one end thereof inposition to engage and retain said pin, yielding means mounted at theother end of said lever for yieldingly maintaining it in engagement withsaid pin, and a bearing plate adjacent the fulcrum point of said leveradapted to extend through a pin, and

suitable opening in said last mentioned member.

4. A lamp construction, in combination with a casing member, and a.closure member for said casing, f means for securing said closure memberthereon, including a passageway in one of said members, a pin on theother member adapted to extend into said passageway, a lever fulcrumedto said passageway bearing member having a notch in one end thereofadapted to engage and hold said pin, and a spiral compression springmounted between the opposite endof said lever and said passagewaybearing member for normally maintaining the notched end of said lever inengagement with said pin, whereby said I pin may be moved out ofengagement with said lever and out of passageway upon the comp-ressionof said spring. 7 p v 5. A lamp construction, in combination with acasing member, and a closure member for said casing, of means forsecuring said closure member thereon, including a passageway in one ofsaid members, a pin on the other member adapted to extend into saidpassageway, alever having a notched end adapted to engage said pin,means near the center of said lever for pivotally securing it to saidpassageway bearing member, and a compression spring positioned betweenthe otherend of said lever and said passageway bearing member fornormally forcing the notched end thereof into engagement with said pin,the spring engaged end of said lever extending through an opening insaid last mentioned member to the opposite side thereof so as to providea guide for the movement ofsaid lever.

In witness whereof, I" have hereunto aflixed my signature.

HARRY C. FOSTER.

